Azerbaijani MP: Armenia is still "breathing" thanks to Iran

I do not think that Iran can put pressure on Armenia to de-occupy Azerbaijani lands, Member of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis (Parliament) Azay Guliyev said. He was commenting on Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki’s statement that Iran has presented its version of settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to Baku and Yerevan.

"Lately, negotiations on the Karabakh peace process have considerably intensified, and some countries have begun to voice their proposals for mediation in this conflict. In this context, Iran in its turn also makes its proposals to resolve this territorial dispute. But, unfortunately, there are two factors because of which Tehran can not be an impartial mediator in settlement of the Karabakh conflict,” the MP said.

“First, we already have bitter experience of Tehran’s initiatives to resolve the Karabakh conflict. At one time, in the early 90's, when Iran tried to take the lead in the negotiating process, Shusha was occupied.”

“Secondly, Iran renders huge aid to Armenia. If it had not been for Tehran, Yerevan would have been in much more difficult situation today. Most of the food, energy, construction materials and other goods are shipped to Armenia from and also via Iran. In other words, Armenia still "breathes" thanks to Tehran," the MP added.

"At the same time, I believe that Azerbaijan will never reject mediation of any country that is able to influence Armenia in de-occupation of the Azerbaijani territories. But, in my opinion, Iran would never exert pressure on Armenia to free the occupied lands, while Tehran does have  such levers. Therefore, I see Tehran's initiative to mediate between Baku and Yerevan as an attempt "to sit in a moving train" The state which openly declares the importance of unity of Muslims does not need to help Armenia who has occupied Azerbaijan’s territories,” Guliyev noted.


/Day.Az/